The History of the Knights Templar by Charles G ... - Masonic Renewal

The prowess and warlike daring of the Templars in the field are thus described by St.
Bernard.
"When the conflict has begun, then at length they throw aside their former meekness and
gentleness, exclaiming, Do not I
p. 50
BERTRAND DE
BLANQUEFORT.
A.D. 1156.hate them, O Lord, that hate thee, and am I not grieved with those who rise up
against thee? They rush in upon their adversaries, they scatter them like sheep, in nowise
fearing, though few in number, the fierce barbarism or the immense multitude of the
enemy. They have learned indeed to rely, not on their own strength, but to count on
victory through the aid of the Lord God Sabaoth, to whom they believe it easy enough,
according to the words of Maccabees, to make an end of many by the hands of a few, for
victory in battle dependeth not on the multitude of the army, but on the strength given
from on high, which, indeed, they have very frequently experienced, since one of them
will pursue a thousand, and two will put to flight ten thousand. Yea, and lastly, in a
wonderful and remarkable manner, they are observed to be both more gentle than lambs,
and more fierce than lions, so that I almost doubt which I had better determine to call
them, monks forsooth, or soldiers, unless perhaps, as more fitting, I should name them
both the one and the other."
At a later period, Cardinal de Vitry, Bishop of Acre, the frequent companion of the
Knights Templars on their military expeditions, thus describes the religious and military
enthusiasm of the Templars: "When summoned to arms they never demand the number of
the enemy, but where are they? Lions they are in war, gentle lambs in the convent; fierce
soldiers in the field, hermits and monks in religion; to the enemies of Christ ferocious and
inexorable, but to Christians kind and gracious. They carry before them," says he, "to
battle, a banner, half black and white, which they call Beau-seant, that is to say, in the
Gallic tongue, Bien-seant, because they are fair and favourable to the friends of Christ,
but black and terrible to his enemies." *
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BERTRAND DE
BLANQUEFORT.
A.D. 1158.Among the many instances of the fanatical ardour of the Moslem warriors, are
the following, extracted from the history of Abu Abdollah Alwakidi, Cadi of Bagdad.
"Methinks," said a valiant Saracen youth, in the heat of battle against the Christians under
the walls of Emesa--"methinks I see the black-eyed girls looking upon me, one of whom,
should she appear in this world, all mankind would die for love of her; and I see in the
hand of one of them a handkerchief of green silk, and a cap made of precious stones, and
she beckons me, and calls out, Come hither quickly, for I love thee." With these words,
charging the infidels, he made havoc wherever he went, until he was at last struck down
by a javelin. "It is not," said a dying Arabian warrior, when he embraced for the last time
his sister and mother--"it is not the fading pleasure of this world that has prompted me to